🔍 Key Findings

Synovitis was present in 100% of canine stifles with CCL disease (n = 163).

The most frequent severity score was 3/5 (55.2%), followed by 4/5 (24.5%).

Higher synovitis scores were significantly associated with:

• Higher median cartilage scores (p = .042, OR = 2.1 per unit increase)
• Longer duration of clinical signs (p < .001, OR = 1.27 per month)

Bodyweight (p = .083) and sex (p = .17) were not statistically significant in multivariable analysis.

Bucket handle meniscal tears were not associated with synovitis severity.

Clinical implication: Earlier intervention may help reduce synovitis and slow OA progression.

🔍 Key Findings

• Liver masses were most common in the left division (58%), followed by central (27%) and right (15%).
• Right divisional masses were significantly associated with intraoperative complications (33% vs 5.6% left, p = .0037), particularly hemorrhage and injury to major vessels.
• Mortality rate was 6.5% overall, with no significant association with liver lobe location.
• Postoperative complications occurred in 28.7% of cases, but were not significantly associated with mass location.
• Thoracic incision extension (sternotomy or diaphragmotomy) increased odds of postoperative complications by 9.1x (p < .001).
• Use of TA stapler significantly reduced both intraoperative (OR 19x lower) and postoperative complications (OR 4.4x lower) vs other methods.
• Specialist surgeons and heavier dogs had significantly fewer postoperative complications.
• Right lobectomies often required thoracic extension, indirectly linking them to increased postoperative morbidity.

🔍 Key Findings

• Lateral approach to ALN extirpation was successful in 100% of cases (44 dogs, 48 ALNs) with consistent anatomical landmarks (costochondral junction of rib 1 and caudal scapular edge).
• Median time for ALN removal was 16.6 minutes, highlighting a fast and efficient dissection method.
• No intraoperative complications were recorded (e.g., hemorrhage or inability to find the lymph node).
• Postoperative complications occurred in 18% of cases, including seromas (n=2), wound dehiscence (n=4), lameness (n=1), and discomfort (n=1).
• Histopathology revealed 56% of ALNs had tumor-related pathology, including overt metastases, early metastasis (HN2), or premetastatic changes (HN1).
• Normal-sized ALNs (<2 cm) still harbored metastases in 22% of cases, emphasizing the unreliability of size as a staging criterion.
• False negatives in cytology occurred in 4 cases, underlining the limitations of cytologic evaluation for staging.
• The technique was reproducible without specialized tools, suggesting wide applicability in general and referral practice.

🔍 Key Findings

• Thoracoscopic (TL) or thoracoscopic-assisted (TAL) lobectomy was successfully performed in 12 dogs with non-neoplastic pulmonary consolidation (PC).
• 44% (4/9) of TL cases were converted to open thoracotomy due to adhesions or poor visualization—higher than rates for neoplastic lobectomies.
• OLV was successful in 7/9 TL dogs; unsuccessful attempts were managed with intermittent ventilation, mostly in brachycephalic breeds.
• Median hospital stay was 3 days; 91.7% (11/12) survived to discharge, and 100% of survivors showed no recurrence at median 24-month follow-up.
• Complications were mostly minor: pneumothorax (2), minor hemorrhage (3), dehiscence (1), and 1 fatality due to BOAS complications.
• Histopathology showed infectious pneumonia in 10 dogs, and in 4 cases, foreign body migration was suspected as the underlying cause.
• Median surgical time for TL was 90 minutes; conversion correlated with longer symptom duration (median 90 vs. 7 days).
• Postoperative recovery was excellent in all surviving dogs, with one case of persistent cough attributed to concurrent heart disease.

🔍 Key Findings

• Submucosal resection via a transanal approach was associated with a low rate (1.1%) of major complications and prolonged survival across benign and malignant rectal tumors.
• Overall recurrence rate was 21.5%, with higher recurrence in malignant tumors: 28.6% (carcinomas) and 30.4% (carcinoma in situ) vs. 13.6% (adenomas).
• Complications (P = .032) and incomplete margins (P = .023) were independently associated with increased recurrence risk.
• Recurrence was the only factor associated with increased risk of tumor-related death (P = .046).
• Repeat submucosal resection was successful in 60% of dogs with recurrence, indicating feasibility of this as a salvage approach.
• 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates for carcinomas were 95%, 89%, and 73%, though overall survival was significantly longer for benign tumors (P = .001).
• Preoperative diagnostics (FNA, biopsy) were often inconsistent with final histopathology – only 64.3% biopsy agreement.
• Presurgical imaging was not consistently performed, limiting accurate staging in many dogs.

🔍 Key Findings

• A positive meniscal flounce sign was associated with normal menisci in 95.5% of cases, demonstrating strong predictive value.
• Absence of the meniscal flounce sign was associated with meniscal tears in 92.7% of cases.
• Overall diagnostic accuracy of the flounce sign was 94.6%, with 96.6% sensitivity and 90.5% specificity.
• Most tears in flounce-negative stifles were bucket-handle tears (73.8%), while radial tears were present in some flounce-positive stifles.
• Radial tears did not consistently eliminate the flounce sign, suggesting they may not disrupt meniscal fiber tension sufficiently.
• All procedures were arthroscopically performed, with probing and visualization of the medial meniscus' caudal pole.
• Flounce sign should complement, not replace, probing—especially as some tear types (e.g., radial) may not abolish the sign.
• Limb positioning and joint distraction may affect flounce visibility, introducing minor observer variability.

🔍 Key Findings

• Extreme brachycephalic breeds (EBBs) presented more acutely and at younger ages, most often with neurological signs compared to other breeds.
• Preoperative signs such as facial nerve paresis, vestibular syndrome, and Horner’s syndrome were significantly more common in EBBs.
• EBBs showed more severe imaging findings, including higher rates of otitis interna (46.3% vs. 8.5%) and brainstem changes (17.5% vs. 3%).
• Intraoperative complications were more frequent in EBBs (11.1% vs. 5.3%), but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = .078).
• Perioperative complication rates did not differ significantly between EBBs and other breeds (23.5% vs. 29.3%).
• Surgical time was significantly longer in EBBs (median 115 vs. 95 minutes; p = .011).
• MRI or combined CT/MRI were more frequently used in EBBs, likely due to the higher prevalence of neurological signs.
• Despite anatomical challenges, complication rates in EBBs were comparable, supporting TECA-LBO safety in these breeds.

🔍 Key Findings

• Study Design: Retrospective case series of 15 dogs (19 tarsi) with talar OCD.
• Technique: Modified arthroscopic approach with both scope and instrument portals on the same side as the lesion.
• Outcomes:
  • Good to excellent mid-to-long-term outcomes in 11/14 dogs.
  • Statistically significant improvement in CBPI (p < .05) and VAS scores (p < .05).
  • Minor postoperative complications (synovial cysts) in 4/13 tarsi, all resolved spontaneously.
  • No major intraoperative complications; 1/19 required mini-arthrotomy due to fragment size.
• Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD): Progression noted in 10/14 cases, despite good functional outcomes.
• Fragment Characteristics: Multiple osteochondral fragments were present in most cases, with 17/19 lesions on the medial talar ridge.
• Technical Advantage: Lower conversion rate to arthrotomy (1/19) compared to previous studies (Gielen et al. and Miller & Beale).

🔍 Key Findings

• Perineal hernia repair was feasible in dorsal recumbency in all 23 dogs, allowing simultaneous perineal and abdominal procedures without repositioning.
• Internal obturator muscle transposition (IOMT) was successfully performed in 22 dogs, with tendon transection facilitating improved muscle elevation.
• Complication rate was 60.9% in-hospital and 47.8% post-discharge, mostly minor (e.g., swelling, drainage), with infection suspected in 4 dogs (17.4%).
• Recurrence rate was 19% overall, but significantly higher in dogs with prior hernia repairs (50% vs 5.9%; p = 0.053).
• Dogs without prior repairs or organ pexies had no recurrences (p = 0.035), suggesting primary repairs without preexisting interventions fare better.
• Castration and adjunctive abdominal procedures (e.g., colopexy, cystopexy) were often performed concurrently (18/23 dogs).
• Colopexy did not prevent recurrence, although it aided in surgical visualization during perineal repair.
• Dorsal positioning allowed simultaneous access to the abdomen and perineum, improving surgical efficiency without added complications.

🔍 Key Findings

• Mitral valve plasty (MVP) in dogs with MMVD significantly reduced regurgitant volume and fraction, and normalized LA:Ao ratio, indicating reversal of volume overload.
• MVP altered mitral valve geometry, with reduced annular dimensions and increased coaptation length, enhancing valve competence.
• Postoperative LA:Ao ratio dropped from 2.2 to 1.2, consistent with improved left atrial pressure and size.
• Forward stroke volume index and cardiac index increased at 3 months, reflecting improved hemodynamic function despite reduced fractional shortening.
• Three dogs (3.9%) died postoperatively, highlighting a 96.1% survival rate within 3 months.
• The repair technique involved artificial chordal replacement and annuloplasty; no cleft closure or leaflet suturing was used.
• Color Doppler echocardiography confirmed substantial reduction in mitral regurgitation postoperatively in most dogs.